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The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has launched the African Trade and Distribution Company (ATDC) to accelerate large-scale trade in raw materials, minerals, and value-added products across the continent.
The new entity, established through Afreximbank’s Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA) in partnership with Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), Equitane DMCC, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, is designed to strengthen Africa’s trade value chains and reduce reliance on external markets.
To support its operations, Afreximbank has pledged $1 billion in funding to ATDC. The investment will facilitate the aggregation of value-added goods, the development of logistics and distribution infrastructure, and the financing of subsidiary businesses.
The official launch took place during the Intra-Africa Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) in Algiers, Algeria, officiated by Afreximbank President and Chairman, Prof. Benedict Oramah, alongside Algeria’s Acting Prime Minister, Sifi Ghrieb, and other African and Caribbean leaders.
“Africa is rich in resources, yet history has skewed our trade outward. Through ATDC and its subsidiaries, we aim to reclaim control of how our commodities and minerals are processed and traded, integrating them into local economies for broader benefit,” Oramah stated.
As part of the launch, Afreximbank introduced ATDC Minerals (ATMIN), the company’s flagship subsidiary focused on trading and financing minerals and hydrocarbons. ATMIN has already secured deals worth around $3 billion, including oil lifting arrangements with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Roxzen Nigeria Limited.
ATDC has also signed strategic agreements with leading firms across logistics, agriculture, and mineral supply chains. These include:
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A collaboration with Arise IIP to provide feedstock for special economic zones,
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A co-investment with BSMART Technology Limited to build digitally integrated logistics hubs in key African ports,
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Trade partnerships with Export Trading Group (ETG), KK Kingdom Nigeria Limited, and Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited,
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Joint ventures with CBZ Holdings and the Nigeria Commodity Exchange to establish national ATDCs in Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
The establishment of ATDC signals a transformational step in Africa’s trade agenda, supporting the objectives of the AfCFTA by boosting regional value addition, improving logistics efficiency, and positioning Africa as a stronger player in global markets.
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